First off, sorry about the penguin and muslim chanting at this site which took place for maybe a week or so.  I guess someone got off on hacking my website.  But thanks to friends alerting me of the dilemma and buddy Rich Lane working his magic everything’s been properly restored with nothing lost.

 

I had heard from friends some time back about a surprise birthday party for Terry Austin in upper-state New York where there resides a considerable artist community and one that I hadn’t visited since my last Bernie Wrightson Halloween party back in the early ’90s which had led to me getting professionally hired in the comic book industry.  But not wanting to party crash, I simply sighed and wished everyone well.  Then last Tuesday Joe Sinnott and I were on the phone and he went the full mile to get me to attend the event. Joe wanted me there badly so how could I refuse?  I had to make plans within 24 hours and recruited my chum Enrique (Zeke) Savory, Jr. to act as my travel mate to Christina’s Restaurant in Kingston on August 23rd.  It was an honor to be invited to attend and be reunited with some old friends in their home vacinity again such as Todd Dezago and Joe (the organizers), Joe and Hilary Staton, Walt and Louise Simonson, Fred Hembeck, Janice Chiang, as well as mu pal from my own neck of the woods Craig Rousseau, Joe’s daughter Kathy Sinnott and her husband Rex who I met for the first time, Dan Green, a legendary ink artist that I also met for the first time, Christopher Irving and his travel mate who’s name escapes me, and, of course, Terry himself!  Merriment was had by all!  Regretfully, Joe’s son Mark couldn’t make the affair due to his post office work schedule, even though he was instrumental in setting the plan in motion. Some others who had to unfortunately decline attending were John Byrne, Tom Palmer, Herb Trimpe, Jim Starlin and Ron Marz. While I’m still not sure I can attend the Albany Con in November in the same general area, I look forward to returning to this community again before long. (Photo by Janice Chiang- more pics can be seen at my Facebook page in the August timeline: https://www.facebook.com/bobalmond)